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[ooyah/2]

Can anybody tell me what the saving in gas is by using an Attenuator?
 
 How much gas is saved in 1 camping gas container and how does it relate to cost in Dollars or Sterling.?
 
 How long will it take to recoup the cost of an Attenuator costing £50 + nuts and nipples + postage ?
 I believe that some manufactures are charging much more than Forest Classics and if I recall when Cheddar started making them they were about £80 + postage, so the savings will take longer to recoup, maybe years.

 I do appreciate that there are occasions when one would be desirable but is it a con trick by manufacturers to get us to buy one and save gas ? and by implication save money.

I have asked the same question on other Forums but so far there is a deathly silence.
 
 George.

[kiwimodeller]

George, I think that, as has been posted by yourself and others in other threads, they are an unneccessary addition to a steam plant and are of dubious value. I now have five steam powered craft running (note I did not say finished!) and I am sure that by the time I had run each a few trips on the water I had learned to set the gas supply valve by ear to the flame setting that gave enough pressure to keep the boat operating at a reasonable speed without the relief valve blowing off all the time. If the pressure keeps dropping it means running at reduced throttle for a while or bring the boat alongside and turning the flame up a little higher. If the relief valve is constantly blowing dont set the flame so high next trip or fit a whistle to use the excess steam and have some fun with. In my opinion extra gadgets mean extra complications and extra potential for things to go wrong. There you have my five cents ( sorry - sixpence) worth. Cheers, Ian.

[Jerry C]

Ditto guys.
Jerry.

[Circlip]

George et al, you really should forget your presumptions that any piece of equipment fitted to modern manufactured steam plants have to be a necessity. what you should realise is the increase in bragging rights for having extra bits of polished Brass or Copper strung round a basic steam plant.   
 
  When I see some of the prices advertised and the fact that we seem to be losing the ability to build rather than assemble steam plants, I refute that we are supposed to be in a recession.
 
  Regards  Ian 

[steam up]

 
The reason I fitted one was to see if I could build it and make it work                     .
 I found one on the Paddleduck site and with a little help from the designer made it.
 My thoughts behind the fitting of one was not to try and keep it simple if I wanted that I would go with electric power (wait a minute I would need to fit a speed controller ) rather it was to have a bit of fun making one.
 Less tongue in cheek I was also considering excessive cooling of the gas tank , that’s what I was telling myself anyway.
 

[frazer heslop]

George, I made one for my River Queen to Malcolm's design along with electronic boiler level control and after six months stripped them back out.The only time in my humble opinion they save gas is if the boat is idle and it keeps the boiler at a set back pressure .
I have some drawings if they are of any use that Malcolm sent me many years ago
cheers
frazer

[steam up]

Think this is the one

[frazer heslop]

Yes that's the one.If I remember correctly it was in the Model Boats mag but they published the pics the wrong way round and the block was specified as alloy but Malcolm specified brass in his letter as it was well before email
cheers
frazer

[ooyah/2]

Hi Mark & Frazer,
Thanks for the offer of drawings but I will pass on them,I have always been of the opinion that an Attenuator wasn't for me, I like to do the balancing manually.

I am interested though in any body who can give definitive answers to my question just to see how many years that it would take to get my money back on gas savings.

So far the replies from Kiwi/Ian and Jerry confirms what I have always thought and hopefully anybody new considering a steam plant will take note and do without one.

George.

[derekwarner]

George.......I must agree that the consensus here is that gas regulators appear to be an expensive shiny option that will show little in return for the cost involved
This is where WEB site members such as on Mayhem offer good advice & experience.....in retrospect I wish I had joined such a model/marine/steam group site prior to my purchasing a V71 shiny black & brass gas regulator which has not yet been installed or commissioned 
BTW....my interest in a gas regulator was not for the $ savings in gas, but for the conservation of boiler water, however since joining Mayhem I see other far more beneficial ways of maintaining or adding water in the boiler........ Derek

[ooyah/2]

George.......I must agree that the consensus here is that gas regulators appear to be an expensive shiny option that will show little in return for the cost involved
This is where WEB sites such as Mayhem offer good advice & experience.....in retrospect I wish I had joined such a model/marine/steam group site prior to my purchasing a V71 shiny black & brass gas regulator which has not yet been installed or commissioned 
BTW....my interest in a gas regulator was not for the $ savings in gas, but for the conservation of boiler water, however since joining Mayhem I see other far more beneficial ways of maintaining or adding water in the boiler........ Derek

Hi Derek,
I'm glad that you have found a site where advice is freely given and I know that you are nearing retiral age so when that comes you will be able to pass on your experiences in operating your paddle steamer plant .

My posting was not for the saving of gas but to try and get a balance against the cost of an Attenuator and how long it would take to pay for itself by the gas saved.

As a matter of interest who made your Attenuator and what was the cost ?  If you don't wish to divulge that Info , that's O.K.

George.

[derekwarner]

Hullo George......it's no secret......& I agree that it is best to display these costs openly with our members
Back in August 2006, the cost of the ANTON V71 regulator was 80 EURO + 22 EURO air shipment & insurance to Australia
So 102 EURO = $127 AUD in todays conversion...mmmmmm just thinking out aloud.........that would probably take about 127 years to reach a break even point
Thanks for your wishes for my retirement & if I am fortunate enough to be about & still posting on Mayhem ...if someone asks about gas regulators  I will suggest they search on the subject in Mayhem for a time period of 2012 to 2013......Derek



Image removed as it contained an email address ...... Ken


 

[mrsgoggins]

I have a regulator/attenuator to Malcom Beak's design (made from aluminium) and would not do without it. My TID is steam hungry with a big burner but I can park it by the landing stage for 10min or more while I socialise without the safety valve blowing off but with 60psi on the clock. That means I don't have to worry about water loss.
That, coupled with electronic water level control allows me to mix chatting with sailing for an hour or more. Both systems have proved totally reliable.
Each to his own,
Keith

[hammer]

I have made two regulators, as Derek will know. In my last paddle steamer I have a boiler consisting of two 2.5" tubes joined by .5 connecting tubes. The fire tubes one in each tube are 22mm and designed to use No; 3 gas jets. Unfortunately No;5 jets are the smallest I can fined. The problem is not all the gas will burn inside the tubes. ( I only found this out by accident when I passed the lighter over the top of the funnel. Although the burners seamed to be working correctly a small blue flame hovered over the funnel.) Could have blown the boat up, if this excess gas accumulated in the hull. Regulating the pressure stops this happening. I need two as the two burners run off the same cannister, and need to be balanced . Another advantage they help to prevent loss of pressure through cooling of cannister, because I am not using the gas as quickly.
www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?PHPSESSID=66f9ed61aac736d439d36130cb4oed96&topic=5011.630  regulator build.

[ooyah/2]

Guys,
Beginning to wonder off topic it's not a question if they work, whats the cost saving and how long to recoup the cost of an Attenuator ?

They seam to vary in price from £50 + fittings to about £80 + fittings from France.

George.

[steam up]

Not sure that cost was ever a consideration for me. As mentioned in an earlier post I hoped that excessive cooling might be prevented. Only time will tell.

[pettyofficernick]

Evening all, I tried a Bix unit  and it didn't seem to do much anyway. It is now consigned to the spares box......

[steam up]

Gave the plant a run tonight so far so good. Steam plant raised steam then flame dropped to a gentle glowjust kept the safty valve from blowing.

[oiler]

I have one that I use in the hull of the puffer and I've used them on my G scale loco's as well. Don't see where they are just shiny unneeded accessories if they work. Saves me from having to having to adjust the gas in the hull of the ship. I think they should come standard on any G scale locomotive.

[steam up]

Used it twice while sailing working fine so far only time will tell.